This invention relates to a windshield wiper assembly for a motor vehicle.
Windshield wipers used on vehicles include a wiper blade attached to a wiper arm. The wiper arm is pivotally attached to the arm head, which is connected through a drive drum to the drive spindle of the windshield wiper motor. The wiper blade, which wipes across the surface of the windshield, must be changed periodically. In commercial vehicles, such as buses and large trucks, it is often difficult to change the wiper blade, because the wiper assembly is a substantial distance off of the ground. Accordingly, it is desirable to remove the entire wiper assembly consisting of the blade, the arm, and the arm head, change the blade, and then reinstall the wiper assembly on the vehicle. Prior art devices include latches that hold the arm head on the spindle which are extremely difficult to release. Windshield wiper assemblies also include a spring that holds the wiper against the surface of the windshield. A spring retainer is often provided that attaches one end of the spring to the arm head and which enables the arm to be moved to an overcenter position where the wiper blade is held off of the windshield. The retainer and the latching mechanism in the prior art devices are entirely separate mechanisms.